• Cantec Group to launch Brexit Customs Clearance Software as declarations expected to soar past 20 million
• Merger of Board Excellence and Acorn Governance Solutions
• Bensons Workwear is delighted to announce its new Irish-Made Bespoke Corporate Wear line
• A Ray of Light from Newgrange Viatel connect Ireland’s Ancient site with high-speed broadband to enable global streaming of solstice
• Savills is delighted to announce two promotions in its Cork Residential Team
• Join SERVE’s new global citizenship programme Think Global Act Local

• UCC School of Law – Discussions in Dispute Resolution - A Bitesize Lunchtime Webinar Series – 18 March
• Republic of Work Webinar – Give Yourself The Gift of Time – 23 March
• Network Naturally Webinar with Social Be – 24 March
• Cantec Webinar – Power of the Pivot, Reinvent your Business – 29 March
• Mozart Festival at Triskel this Easter Weekend – 02 – 05 April

CHAMBERLINK is a long-running, premium, business-focused magazine which will be distributed quarterly during 2021 directly to the desks and screens of the region’s business leaders, entrepreneurs and decision makers.

Advertising and profiling opportunities are now available to promote your brand and offering through 2,500 print copies distributed to a targeted business audience gaining a readership of 7,500. The digital edition incorporating interactive content is circulated to the wider membership base across our many platforms and social media channels attracting 20k+ visits.

The first quarterly edition will land during April 2021 and there are limited opportunities available so please get in contact with Deirdre Griffin to discuss the best options and package for your business.

On the 11^th of March 2021, the UK announced revised dates of the new UK import controls that were due to take place on April 1^st.

However, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine have urged all Irish Exporters to continue their path of preparation for the new dates.

Cork Chamber members are invited to join this year's MIT conference titled “From Exceptions to Routines – New Realities of How We Work & Live”.  

The event is co-hosted by the Austrian Economic Chamber in Vienna and it is known as one of the most forward-thinking business events in Europe, giving decision makers, entrepreneurs, executives and start-ups the opportunity to gain fresh insights into what’s coming next and how the future of work will look like.

Dear Chamber Member,

I hope you, your families and colleagues are keeping safe and well.

This St. Patrick's Day international travel is grounded, yet our connection to our diaspora, international colleagues, friends and family is a deep as ever. There is a palpable yearning for social connection and the international dimension is no less strong. International connectivity remains to the fore on our agenda as it is critical to retaining, attracting and developing investment and talent in the region. Today IDA clients employ a hearty 43,000 people in our region creating a bedrock of economic stability that endures through the pandemic. The continued promotion of Cork as a uniquely compelling and competitive destination for business and talent, will be essential to a new more resilient economy. Government must deliver on quality of life oriented capital investment, housing and necessary business supports to successfully distinguish Cork as we step beyond this pandemic...

Fri 26 Mar | 9.30am-10.30am

This informative virtual event will touch on 5G, 6G, Cyber Security, Quantum and Healthcare.

Speakers will look at the advancements, initiatives and in particular the cyber security challenges that both Ireland and Finland face and how to address them to ensure the advancement, growth and protection of our businesses, economies and societies.

Tues 30 Mar | 2.30pm-4pm

This session will outline the status quo with regard to biodiversity in Cork City – both the current state of it and the possibility of creating spaces within the city for biodiversity niches. Speakers, Dr. Eoin Lettice and Dr. Paul Holloway form UCC will outline realistic measures needed in order to make it more feasible, whether there are examples in other cities of where this has been successful and refer to the research areas they are currently progressing.

The quarterly Economic Trends produced by Cork Chamber continues to prove highly valuable in measuring business sentiment, responses to the changing business operating environment and in achieving critical pandemic supports for business. This is still the case, and we strongly encourage your participation, as these responses help shape our agenda. This survey is anonymous and takes less than 7 minutes to complete.

Wed 24 - Fri 26 March

Energy Cork announced that the Cluster will be hosting a major online conference in March 2021 on Energy and the Circular Economy. The event will take place in 3 x 90 minute sessions over 3 consecutive days - Wed/Thurs/Friday 24th-25th-26th March 2021.

The three sessions will address:

• Turning waste to energy
• The circular economy in practice - buildings, transport, heat
• The circular energy economy & the Just Transition

To promote the decarbonisation of the freight sector and to encourage companies towards this path, the Department of Transport has appointed TII to administer the Alternatively-Fuelled Heavy Duty Vehicle Purchase Grant Scheme.

The Scheme is intended to assist the purchase of heavy duty vehicles (HDVs) that are alternatively-fuelled and exceed applicable European Union (EU) environmental standards that would not otherwise have been purchased without the Scheme’s support.  

Tue 4 May | 9:30am-1:00pm (8 mornings)

The Certificate in Training Delivery & Evaluation Programme (Train the Trainer)  is to provide you with the tools and techniques to effectively deliver, assess and evaluate your training programmes. You will gain practical experience and recognised certification as a trainer. This will allow you to Identify the key principles of adult learning and incorporate these into the design and delivery of your training activities. 

Mon 17 May | 11:30am-1:00pm

This course is suitable for those who are totally new to MS Excel. We will cover the essential functionality of Excel at a pace that is suitable for total beginners.

If you have a good working knowledge of Excel, then our standard ‘Excel Webinar 1’ webinar would be better suited to your skill level.

Wednesday 24^th March 2-4pm

A whole array of challenges have presented for us in workplaces as a result of Covid 19. This is proving to be a very challenging time for us all. Psyched are very excited to offer you a professional support programme to help with this. This is an innovative, free, online programme which will be delivered over 4 sessions to staff of Cork workplaces on Wednesdays from 2pm – 4pm commencing on the 24 March. View more details here.

To register, email Aoife, HERE

Phase 1 of the €8,000 grant under the Small Business Assistance Scheme for COVID (SBASC) is now open.

Eligible businesses will receive a payment of €4,000 for Quarter 1 of 2021. There will be a second payment of €4,000 for businesses which continue to meet the criteria. Applications should be made to the Local Authority. Closing date for receipt of applications is 21 April 2021. 

The Creative Ireland Programme today announced details of the Creative Youth Conference 2021.

The conference, "Creativity: the connection to our future, now" will be hosted online and will comprise three separate events in April and May discussing questions surrounding provision of opportunities for creative engagement by young people both within the school and their community.

The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) has agreed a second postponement of the implementation of Irish Water's new Non-Domestic Tariffs.

The new tariffs will now apply to all of Irish Water's non-domestic customers from October 1, 2021.

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all our members, colleagues and friends both at home in Ireland and overseas. 

There are more than 100 events are being broadcast online and on TV over the days leading to including March 17.

Read the full event guide below.